Wheat berry bowls

There are plenty of things to get used to when sharing a kitchen and food with another, presumably romantic, partner. My recent favorite includes the snacking of "deconstructed" granola: a handful of granola poured from the jar to the palm followed by a long sip of almond milk straight from the carton, while standing in front of the open refrigerator. I consider myself lucky in this department... and I've got my own faults: mostly ingredient control, I suspect. When it comes to sharing food and space, I gather, based on recent conversations, a common anxiety (the topic coming from a friend embarking on romantic kitchen-sharing last week) is, can you cook once--and manage the potential of a "where's the meat" question infiltrating every meal shared? The person I spoke with is vegetarian, but we all know that most ladies are more willing to subsist some nights on a fancy salad with good cheese, a nice glass of wine and a chocolate something for dessert and call it balanced, than their male counterparts.

I said some nights. Actually, most days I've come to find it the most inspiring and worth it (a little leftovers please) to make meals revolving around a good protein source, but there are days when it just doesn't make as much sense. Vegetables are coming on strong now, maybe you had your fill of BBQ chicken and burgers over the weekend and you feel like you could give the earth a donation today. Which brings me to these wheat berry abundance bowls. Mostly everything can be prepared in advance and assembled when you're ready to share a meal. Add a little mixed greens, sliced avocado, and a poached egg (or sliced omelet for the runny yolk averse) and I will most definitely promise you that meat won't be missed. #Meatlessmonday

Salmon with fingerlings and shiitakes

I'm almost certain it's time for something seasonally savory on here. And by that I don't mean asparagus. Or asparagus. The other day I glanced at a list of items one should definitely pick up if spotted at a farmer's market around now because they might not be there the next time if you blink. Among them was mushrooms. I brought home some wonderful shiitakes the other day, along with some fabulous fingerlings, which have an earthy sweetness straight from the soil, and roasted them up together(ish). And since we now have a fishmonger at a couple of the Jersey City markets, searing up some salmon fillets alongside the was just the kind of land and sea fare in order. Let me tell you, I am one happy shopper on the days where everything needed to sustain us can be purchased in an outdoor marketplace...where no scanners are beeping, and replenishing the plastic wrap or foil does not cross my mind. Where the answer of what to eat is simply before your eyes.

Gingered Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Tart

As soon as I see tiny, juicy Jersey strawberries at the farmer's markets in May I want to put them on everything. I ensure there's plenty of yogurt and granola around for topping with the bright red juicy buds in the mornings, and reach for a few after dinner with another glass of white wine. But after a week or two I start getting the itch to bake them up. Strawberries typically have too much juice for muffins, unlike blueberries, so I don't go there, but the streusel bar (which I made last week again with rhubarb and strawberries-so good!) and crisp tart are good friends to them. Meet the ginger-kissed sweet I'll be making all summer, and when the blueberries do come around, they'll probably have their moment in it too.